TECHNOLOGY FOR SENIORS

Most of us may be staying at home for everyone’s safety, but that doesn’t mean criminals aren’t still operating in full force. Here are some tips to help keep you safe & secure during these trying times. Scammers are out in force trying to use Covid to get into people’s bank accounts. Be particularly wary […]

From The Scientist, a worrying report on a link between Alzheimer’s and a more severe form of COVID-19. “David Melzer of Exeter University and colleagues used genetic and health data on volunteers in the UK Biobank to look at the role of the APOE4 variant, which affects cholesterol transport and inflammation. Of some 383,000 people […]

An elderly relative wandering off never to be seen again is the single greatest fear of most caregivers. Simply put, there is no way to completely safeguard against it, but there are some steps which can be taken to help prevent a wandering incident. Identity jewelry or cards. The old standby of a piece of […]

From the AP: “Claire Dinneen’s daughters thought that worsening dementia was causing her growing confusion, but her doctor suspected something else. Dr. Pei Chen asked them to round up medicines in the 89-year-old woman’s home and they returned with a huge haul. There were 28 drugs ordered by various doctors for various ailments, plus over-the-counter […]

A new study shows that people who don’t regularly get a good night’s sleep may be more susceptible to Alzheimer’s disease. Participants who experienced less deep restorative sleep and less non-rapid eye movement were more likely to show an increase in beta-amyloid plaques, a main component in the development of Alzheimer’s, according to the study. […]

Growing old shouldn’t have to mean falling behind. And that includes technologically. Here are just a few items which can help your senior loved one use and enjoy the technological bounty around us. Vertical Mice – 90 degrees can make a world of difference. Vertical mice function just like normal mice, but are ergonomically designed […]

Some fascinating reading on a potential treatment for Parkinson’s. Neurostimulation through surgically placed, battery-powered implants is often used to help reduce tremors in people with Parkinson’s disease. However, the devices are often large and batteries may need to be charged or replaced through surgery. Their wires can also facilitate infections. Neuroengineers at Rice University have […]

From the San Antonio Express News, some great suggestions to help keep seniors active while living with arthritis. Before exercising, try putting a heating pad on the painful joint for several minutes to loosen it up. And consider taking an anti-inflammatory like naproxen sodium (Aleve) or ibuprofen (Advil) or a pain reliever like acetaminophen (Tylenol) […]

It’s still blazing hot in much of the US, but Fall really is right around the corner. Which means it’s time to check in with your elderly relatives and make sure they’re prepared for the coming season. Clothing – Make sure they have clothes which can be comfortably worn in layers, including sturdy shoes. Even […]

From the Houston Chronicle, a great story about the pandemic bringing the young and the old together. Two Memorial area residents are staying active during the pandemic by building toys for at-risk children. Paul Smith and Earl Montgomery used the woodshop at their the senior living community Buckner Parkway Place, to build a total of […]

You read that right. A gym in Illinois has a program specifically designed to get people with Parkinson’s and similar conditions up and mobile. “Knowing what goes along with Parkinson’s, I had this vision of myself in 5 years in a nursing home in a wheelchair, ” Eileen admitted. But Eileen and everybody else in […]

We are living through unprecedented times. And as with all unprecedented events, we must adapt. In these times that means living an increasingly home-bound life. What would have been a fun thing a year ago – staying home all day, every day – has turned into an incredibly stressful experience for much of us. That […]

You love to see the younger generation helping out their elders. Due to COVID-19, more doctors have had to use telemedicine with their patients. Older and low-income patients may not have the tools or the knowledge to have those important appointments. A group of students is working to change that. For the past few months, […]

From ZDNet. With this in mind, IBM Research and MJFF designed a modelling method aimed at helping clinicians understand how the disease progresses in relation the emergence of symptoms so they can pinpoint exactly how far a patient’s PD has advanced. Using algorithms, the model has been designed to consider factors that can mask the […]

From ABC 15 in Arizona, a great story about the power of music therapy. “For seniors, people struggling with dementia, and those with traumatic brain injuries, music therapy is instrumental in building memory and social skills. Students and staff at Arizona State University in the School of Music were told they could no longer go […]

From the Associated Press: “New York’s coronavirus death toll in nursing homes, already among the highest in the nation, could actually be a significant undercount. Unlike every other state with major outbreaks, New York only counts residents who died on nursing home property and not those who were transported to hospitals and died there. That […]